Growth as a Wife and Mom

Thank God for dirty dishes...

2011-10-25T21:40:00.001-04:00

So Cool

2011-10-24T17:25:00.001-04:00

Truth

2011-10-19T21:08:00.001-04:00

A stirring/moving video

2011-10-11T01:10:00.001-04:00

Please watch this brief 30 min video:
"180"

Clothing transfer

2011-10-11T00:06:00.000-04:00

Every Spring and Fall I get the blues as we change out our children's clothing for the upcoming season. *sigh* Some women seem to be able to switch things in-and-out without batting an eye. Me?! I'm nearly blotting my eyes with tissues (from tears) as it's so hard to put things away...

My children will NEVER wear these articles of clothing again...
They are getting bigger...

It's such a hard pill to swallow for me. In one regard, I love their new found independence and abilities and talents, etc. But it's so hard to accept the fact that they are growing up. That they won't always be children.

Long days turn into short years...

That is SO what defines motherhood...

Seasonal...

A season of pregnancy. A season of post-partum.
A season of frequent nursings. A season of sippy cups.
Diapers. Underpants.
Onesies. T-shirts.
Kindergarten. High School.
Home. World.
Singleness. Marriage.
Youth. Old age.

It's ALWAYS changing. Never stagnant. Out with the old. In with the new. You're never in the same spot for long. And just as soon as you think you've got something somewhat figured out, it rises up and changes on you.

Change is a good thing though.
Albeit bittersweet at times.

Two times a year I am faced with the stinging (but sweet) reality that my kids are growing up.
As they should.

Lord, help me to SAVOR every day that I have with these children You have SO RICHLY blessed me with. Help me not to get frustrated in the moment with difficulties and trials, but rather remind me that "to everything there is a season". Help me to live every day in the now, not wishing for another/different season. Help me to live out my moments without regret, living and loving to the fullest. Amen.

Need a laugh?

2011-10-06T11:21:00.001-04:00

Tim Hawkins on Hand Sanitizer:

YouTube

Simple but fabulous!

2011-10-06T06:26:00.001-04:00

8 Ways to Be a Better Mom to Young Children — MomLife Today

I BELIEVE IT!!!

2011-10-03T13:16:00.001-04:00

The Body Odd - Whining is the worst sound in the world, study confirms

Evolution: Fiction

2011-09-29T10:52:00.001-04:00

Something cannot be made from nothing. Only a Creator God can do that!

This is a great Bible study for kids about creation:
CBH Ministries- Keys for Kids: God's Awesome Creation

2011-09-26T09:03:00.001-04:00

Psalm 119:11
11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

If our minds are not washed in the Word, they will be washed by the world.

Tincture time!

2011-09-24T21:35:00.001-04:00

Double-E Immune Booster - organic - Bulk Herb Store

Gonna be placing my order here soon so I can get my tincture brewing for this up and coming cold and flu season. It takes 3 weeks to make a batch. This stuff is great because it actually BOOSTS the immune system so when we come in contact with germs and bacteria/viruses our bodies can effectively fight it off. At the first onset of symptoms, start taking the tincture.

Can't wait to get our brew on!

This breaks my heart...

2011-09-24T20:02:00.001-04:00

People may laugh at this comic strip, but it's actually a shining example of society's anti-child attitude (one that's even crept into the church). At it's core is the belief that they are a burden. This attitude is NOT of God! Children are made in the image of God. He loves them. They are a blessing!

Are they hard work? An emphatic YES! But the hardest part about them: having to deal with my own sin and dying to my selfishness. I can't live for "just me" anymore. Therein lies a HUGE part of them being a blessing: in having them, we have to die to self, and our sanctification deepens. That is very pleasing to the Lord!

2011-09-24T19:49:00.001-04:00

Bendaroos

2011-09-21T19:07:00.001-04:00

These are by far one of the coolest art toys our kids have received. Literally HOURS of play.

I gotta get some more of these!

Bug trap

2011-09-21T15:20:00.001-04:00

With all the summer produce that's been going through our home lately we've had a TON of fruitflies.

So annoying.

I've tried a number of traps- but I have FINALLY found a super easy, super effective recipe.

Fill a dish with:
white vinegar

Add:
1 T of sugar
approx 5 drops liquid dish soap
Stir until well blended.
Set out near trouble spots.

Happy trapping! :-)

This is HILARIOUS! It's seriously become a family favorite! Brings a smile to our hearts.

2011-09-21T07:00:00.001-04:00

YouTube

Returning

2011-09-19T18:52:00.001-04:00

This has been many months in coming, but I have finally decided to leave the world of Facebook. It has been a big decision. I hope to one day unfold in a future post as to why. MANY reasons.

But in my leaving FB I will be returning to my blogs. This one is public. But if any if you would like to see my family blog (which is private) please email me at growthasawifeandmom(@)yahoo(dot)com and I'll email you an invite.

So looking forward to returning to my blogs. Bear with me as I try to organize things. There will be many back logs as I try to put older posts on here.

Do you know?...

2011-05-20T11:02:00.005-04:00

I want joy.
A happiness that remains regardless of my shifting circumstances.

I want a gentle and quiet spirit.
A heart that is fastened tightly to the Lord.

I want the Fruit of the Spirit.
A sweetness of spirit that is overflowing, uncontainable.

I want peace.
A peace that surpasses all understanding.

I want patience.
A gracious long-suffering and ability to forgive others.
-------------------------------------------------------------
How can this happen?
Is this attainable?
Will this ever manifest within me?

This will only happen by knowing God.
Not just knowing about Him: being filled with factoids, theory, and doctrine.

But KNOWING Him.

I liken it to knowing my husband.
If I only spent 1 hr with him a week, how could I ever claim to know him?
I know my husband because I call him, text him, talk with him, laugh with him, share with him, think about him, pray for him, etc. Not just once a week. But every day!!!
To be honest, I probably don't go even an hour without thinking about my husband. Our lives are so meshed, intertwined, and integrated.
I truly love him because I KNOW him.

This is an earthly snapshot of what our relationship can, and should, be like with our Lord and Savior.

This connectedness with God is the only way we can truly and fully experience joy, peace, and patience. It's the only way we can attain the Fruit of the Spirit and that gentle and quiet spirit. It will be a natural outpouring from our blossoming and deepening relationship with Him. It's not a thing we "try" to be. It won't be a "fake it till ya make it" thing either. It will simply and purely become who you are!

Will it require effort and hard work? Of course!
Using my above marriage illustration: Marriage takes effort! It requires a heck of a lot of hard work!
Relationships, in general, always do.

But it'll be worth it...

This is my earthly pursuit... I want to KNOW GOD!
I want to be conformed into the image of Christ.

May it be yours as well.

Seek Him.
Know Him.
Allow Him to change you!
There is hope.

Herbs and gardening '11

2011-03-11T15:47:00.002-05:00

Last night, hubby and I went on our weekly date night and we purchased our first herb and garden seeds for the year! I'm so excited! I can't wait for winter to finally blow away and bring on the warm weather!

Here's what we purchased last night:

Culinary Herbs:
Thyme
Oregano
Basil
Dill
Chives
Rosemary
*These will be in pots and planters near our entryway for easy culinary access.

Garden:
Peas
Green Beans

Edible Flowers:
Nasturtiums

Medicinal Herbs:
Echinacea (purple coneflower)

Veggie-wise, we're only going to get tomatoes to add to our peas and green beans. With the baby coming, I don't want to go all out in the produce department. Going to try my hand at those Topsy Turvy Hanging Tomato Plants.

But I definitely want to get my hands on more medicinal herbs. I've got a list going of what all else I want to add to our garden. We already have lavender, comfrey, garlic, and various forms of mint.

I love this time of year! It's so fun to plan and dream and await the warm breezes of Spring!

31 weeks and counting...

2011-02-28T14:15:00.002-05:00

I absolutely cannot believe that I am nearing the end of this pregnancy.

All over Facebook I hear people commenting on "0h, I wish Spring would come soon!". But secretly, I almost dread the warmer weather. Because with it... comes birth.

May 4th is the due date of our sweet Baby "G". Francesca's was April 24. 10 days difference. So as I walk this path of pregnancy, I feel as though I am relieving the path of last year's.

Even now, we are doing things that we were doing last year... 4-H Pancake Breakfast, helping our church prepare for some of its members to take a missions trip to Haiti, planning Arianna's birthday party, etc.

I was doing SO GOOD staying strong emotionally and spiritually during this pregnancy. But now I feel like like everything within me is crumbling, giving into fear and anxiety.

I think about Francesca ALL OF THE TIME! And I think about Baby "G" ALL OF THE TIME.

There was no human/earthly reason for Francesca to pass. There was nothing wrong with her or myself medically. Perfectly healthy placenta, umbilical cord, everything. The doctor who did her autopsy actually said, "this was an act of God". No earthly explanation...

I have absolutely NOTHING but God and His Word to cling to at this time. NO ONE can help. NO ONE can do anything. NO ONE can promise me a good outcome.

Not even me. I can eat right, exercise, take my prenatals and herbs... but it all rests outside of my control. Absolute control over life and death rests in God alone. He is the Author, Creator, and Sustainer of all life.

All the days ordained for me were written in His book before one of them came to be (Ps 139:16).

I literally CLING to Ps. 139:16 as my source of comfort. Francesca's days were ordained. Baby "G's" days are ordained. Whether that's 9 months... or 90 years.

I don't merely want to "endure" the rest of this pregnancy. I want to enjoy it, savor it. I want to stand strong and fearless, God as my Rock. To have a peace that surpasses all understanding. An unwavering strength and trust in God. An unshakable settledness in my soul.

And I truly believe this is just where God wants me to be right now. Broken. In order that I will completely rest in Him alone, and no earthly prop or person.

Do I want to be here?... No.
But is it where God wants me?... Yes.

So here I will stay...
Completely in His hands.
Completely in His care.
Completely resting in Him alone.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Take My Life

Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing
always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as You choose.

::Chorus::
Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it's all for Thee.

Take my will and make it Thine
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is Thine own
it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord I pour
at Your feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for Thee.
Take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for Thee.

Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it's all for Thee.

(Take my life, Lord take my life. Take all of me)

Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it's all for Thee.

Naturally treating a UTI

2010-12-21T21:53:00.002-05:00

Here's how we treat UTI's in our home.

Upon first symptoms, I make up a "Baking Soda Martini": 1/2 t of baking soda to 8 oz. water. Drink it up right away. Slam it.

Next, I brew up some Nettle Tea. Stinging nettle is a very common herb. Anybody that's done any sort of nature hiking knows what nettle is! But it's good stuff!
For tea, I use the following recipe:
Boil 4 C. water
Add 4 Tbls fresh nettle leaf (or 4 t. dried)
Steep for 20 min.
Strain and drink it completely in one day's time.
Continue this for 7 days.

Push fluids, especially water, fruit and veggie juices. You want to flush the system. As painful as it is to "go", the bacteria needs to get out! Cranberry juice is a very good option. Just be sure to get a pure cranberry juice and not one that's loaded with sugars and additives, which can actually aggravate the situation.

If it can be muscled down, Garlic Tea:
Boil 4 C. water
Add 4-5 cloves raw garlic, crushed
juice from 1+ lemons
Steep for 20 minutes
Strain and drink for 4+ days

So what's new...

2010-12-16T14:51:00.003-05:00

Wow, it's been a long time since I've visited the land of blogging. For no particular reason. Perhaps busyness. My days revolve around being a loving wife, a nurturing mother, a homeschooling teacher, a small business owner, and a gluten free chef. :-)

Some of you may be wondering how my pregnancy is going. I will be 21 weeks next Monday, Dec. 20th. It is FLYING by! As soon as we get our Kodak stuff back onto the computer I'll share another belly bump pic. Progressing well. Due date is still looking like May 4, 2011.

I'm not going to lie. This pregnancy is a HUGE step of faith each day. Do I fear losing this baby? You betcha! But every day when I feel that precious squirming inside my belly I immediately send up praise to my Lord and Savior that he has given us yet another day with this this baby. Not for a single moment do I take life for granted.

The biggest area of growth has been to completely and fully trust in the Lord step by step. There have been a few scares along the way. At an earlier point of my pregnancy, I suffered with rhythmic painful contractions that I thought may have been the onset of a miscarriage. Fortunately it was just a reaction to some gluten I'd accidentally eaten. Then two weeks ago the midwife struggled to find a heartbeat for quite some time. On the last try, before sending me off to get an ultrasound, we heard it briefly. New doppler plus the placenta is smack dab in the front of my belly. Whew!

I am not in control. He is! I've learned that full well.

So anyways, I hope to get back to blogging here. Always have TONS of things rattling around in my heart and mind that I want to share. I'll share as I can.

God bless!

Guarding the Home

2010-12-16T14:47:00.003-05:00

This is a recent devotional put out by Nancy Campbell at Above Rubies. I just LOVE their ministry and their desire to encourage wives and mothers. They have been an incredible source of strength for me.

You can also find Nancy and Above Rubies on Facebook!

Read. Enjoy. Be motivated and encouraged!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday, 16 December 2010 00:00

ON ALL FRONTS!

"Appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each at his post, and each in front of his house" (Nehemiah 7:3).

God is very concerned about guarding. We don't have to wait long in the Bible to learn the principle. When God put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden He told them to work in it and guard it! (Genesis 2:15) To guard a home is high on God's priority. We turn over from the first book of the Bible to the last and find that God has twelve angels guarding the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:12) If it is important for God to have angels guarding each gate of His holy city, then surely it is important to guard the gates of our homes.

We go to 1 Chronicles 9:17-27 and see the gate-keeping Levites guarding the house of the Lord in Solomon's time, just as their ancestors had guarded the tabernacle in the wilderness. They guarded "the entrance" and they guarded "the four sides, to the east, west, north and south... And they spent the night around the house of God, because the watch was committed to them." In Nehemiah we read that they appointed guards, "each in front of his house."

We are also gate-keepers, guarding on all fronts! We can never let down our guard. The enemy is subtle and he is out to destroy marriages and fragment godly homes. The biggest threat to his success is godly gate-keeping mothers who will not allow one opening for him to enter their home. They watch at their entrance and they watch on every side. They watch what their children listen to, look at, read and even what they speak! They check what is happening on the Facebook accounts of their children. They establish God's standard of righteousness in their home, not the world's standard. Consequently, when the enemy comes running to attack he comes to a screeching halt at the gates of this righteous home! He has no access! No loop holes to get in! And he bows! Proverbs 14:19 says, "The evil bow before the good: and the wicked at the gates of the righteous."

One of the greatest ways we guard is by example. Your children see whether you have courage to act according to your conscience or whether you compromise. Sometimes on the weekend the extended family will come and we watch a family movie together. We have a big screen for our songs at church so we can play the movie on the big screen. It is sad that we sometimes find a scene that is not wholesome, even with family movies! What do we do? We have to immediately stop the movie-that's the end of that, even though we could be tempted to see the ending! But the children are watching. By our example they are going to learn to stand strong with their conscience or compromise!

An Above Rubies helper asked Evangeline how she guards her 10 children. She replied, "We train them to be gate-keepers themselves. We train their conscience. We teach them righteous principles and train them to keep to them, not just when people are looking, but to be true to their own soul."

We cannot weaken in training our children. Proverbs 29:15 NASB says, "The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother." You leave your children unguarded when you let them get their own way. You are teaching them how to give into temptation. You are setting them up to be a prey to the enemy! You are preparing them to have a turbulent marriage. The diligent gate-keeping mother will teach her children how to say No to the temptations of the flesh.

We also guard our home by conducting Family Devotions with our family each day, morning and evening if possible. It is hard for the enemy to take hold when we read God's Word and pray together each day as a family. In Chronicles 8:13-14 NASB tells us that, "Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of the Lord... and did so according to the daily rule... he appointed the Levites for their duties of praise and ministering before the priests according to the daily rule..." *This was a daily rule God expected of His people, morning and evening.

"What's all this business about a daily rule?" you argue. "Isn't that religiosity and legality? Shouldn't we do it when we feel the urge? I don't like the sound of duty." Yes, I am sure that it could become tedious if it is done without the anointing of the Holy Spirit who illumines the Word. 2 Corinthians 3:6 tells us that the "letter kills" but the Spirit gives life. But how can a "daily rule" be legality when we are reading LIFE GIVING WORDS? Jesus said, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63). God's life-giving words, anointed by the Holy Spirit will guard your marriage and your children from the deceptions of the enemy. Read also Hebrews 4:12 and 2 Peter 1:3-4. Sadly many marriages are no longer together because they never established the daily rule of praying and reading God's Word together. Many families are in disarray because they have not gathered together daily around the Word of God which is our manual for life.

May the enemy be scared of you as you guard the entrance to your home! Guard your home on all sides! Give no foothold for the devil.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

"Father, please teach me how to be a diligent gate-keeper of my home. Please show me areas that are weak in my marriage and in our family life and please teach me how to build up the wall again. I want our family to be a bulwark against the enemy. In Jesus' name, Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

I am guarding my marriage and my home on all fronts!

Further Scriptures to read: Exodus 29:36, 38-39; Numbers 28:3; 1 Chronicles 16:40; 23:30; 2 Chronicles 2:4; 13:11; 31:3 and Ezra 3:3-4.

Back in the kitchen

2010-10-17T21:17:00.004-04:00

Here's Arianna onto meal #2: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

The recipe called for a layer of Cheddar and a second layer of Monterey Jack (or Mozzerella).
Very tasty with the mix of two cheeses!

Here's my GF Udi sandwich. My first sandwich in months!
It was amazing!

Apples cut so the star inside is revealed.
Kids thought that was pretty cool.

Arianna & Cooking

2010-10-13T16:47:00.004-04:00

Our eldest has shown an ever-increasing love of all things "kitchen". On a whim the other day, I handed her a Kid's Cook cookbook, pen, and paper and had her pick out a few recipes she wanted to try. I'd pick 2-3 of her recipes, add them to our menu plan for this week, and she could make them. WOW- was she ever thrilled! That not only kept her busy for a good long time as she meal planned, but her "recipes" was all we heard about for the past several days!

Up first, Purple Cow.
6 oz. grape juice concentrate
1 C milk
2 C vanilla ice cream
Blend on HIGH for 30 sec.
Everyone agreed it was "so-so". But Arianna definitely had a blast!
We even made it more special by adding twisty straws with grapes on it.

Up next: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (layered with Cheddar & Mozzerella). And I can't WAIT because I just purchased Udi's Gluten Free sandwich bread last night! I haven't had a sandwich in months!!!

As I have mentioned on earlier posts, I discovered this summer that I am gluten intolerant. For those of you who aren't familiar with gluten intolerance, it basically means that grains (such as wheat, oats, barley, etc) cause intestinal inflammation, which totally messes with the whole digestive tract, and then causes all sorts of digestive "issues" (which I'll spare you the details *grin*). Basically, a gluten intolerant person's body cannot process and digest grains right. Rice and corn are fine, though, so it's not a totally depriving sort of lifestyle.

There are SO MANY GF products on the market, too, that taste and feel like the real deal (and texture is huge with me). Plus, I've also been experimenting with all sorts of baking using a GF All-Purpose Flour. King Arthur flours has a whole GF section with recipes for pancakes, waffles, scones, muffins, bread, pizza dough... and it tastes SO GOOD. You'd seriously never know there was no wheat or grain in it! I just have to read LOTS of labels. And if we go out to eat (which is pretty rare) I have to carefully question the management about ingredients.

This has been a night & day different pregnancy for me. Perhaps it's what would be called "normal". Yes, queasies and nausea and tiredness. But the only time I "lost my lunch" was when I accidentally got a hold of something containing gluten. Paid for that mistake for 5 DAYS!!!

All my other pregnancies have been absolutely miserable. Basically, I can't hardly function and go into what I call "the black hole". Survival mode. Everything backs up. If dinner gets on the table that's a good day! And even doing that takes everything I've got. It's bad. Nausea. Vomiting. Lying on the couch in misery. The whole nine yards.

But this time... it hasn't been bad at all! I've been able to eat. No weird food cravings. And as long as I got a power nap in the afternoon, I was good to go. It's been amazing the difference this GF pregnancy has been compared to the other ones.

PRAISE GOD He revealed what was wrong before this pregnancy occurred! He has been SO gracious and kind to me! I have so much to be thankful for!

The "Bump"

2010-10-12T19:19:00.000-04:00

11 weeks today!

Drooling

2010-10-12T08:22:00.006-04:00

I see things like this:

... and this:

... and I find myself drooling. I LOVE IT! Oh... if only I had a creative bone in my body!

When I see what I like it's like "oh, oh, oh! That's it!" But I can't seem to replicate it. Nor come up with an idea like that on my own.

And as we're standing at the gate of someday very soon purchasing our first house, my mind is rattling with decorating ideas. Wish so badly I could afford to hire an interior decorator. "Here's what I like. HELP ME!"

Some women just seem as though they are oozing with creativity. And I sit back in awe at what they create.

-----------------------------------------------------------

So anyway....

I've been out of the blogging world for a darn good reason these past couple months.

We're having another BABY!!!

Yep yep. May 4 is the due date and I am quick approaching the 12 week mark. Next week on the 20th, RD and I are going to our first prenatal appointment to hear the heartbeat. We are SO excited. And yes, a bit nervous. Baby G's due date is a mere 10 days off of what Francesca's was last year. She came early (April 9th) but her official due date was April 24. I try not to think on it too much because my mind will go in a thousand different not-so-good directions.

God gives and He takes away.

For SOME reason Francesca was supposed to pass from our hands and into heaven. Now we see in part, but one day, we will see the whole picture. It doesn't feel good. But the Lord IS good. And He uses bad things FOR good.

God gave us another baby. And right now He is within me molding and shaping this baby's features, personality, and body. He or she is so very intricately made. And if I learned anything through Francesca's experience is this: God is in control! I can eat right, exercise, take my prenatals and herbs... But ultimately, there is nothing I can do. God is in control of the womb! He is sovereign and can be fully trusted.

And so... we walk in faith.

And I've got a little bump. Belly pics to follow. :-)

God is so good. We are so blessed!

Miche love...

2010-08-20T19:14:00.004-04:00

Has anyone ever heard of Miche???

I hadn't, until this past Christmas when my mother purchased me a small base bag and 2 shells.
At first I thought it was just another cute purse.
But after having used it for the past several months, I have YET to return to any other purse. And I have SEVERAL! I guess you could say I have a bit of a fetish. And yes, I've been told on occasion by my husband to widdle my collection down. But I never could bring myself to do it. I LOVE my purses. And you just never know what purse you'll need for what occasion. And for me, it went beyond "occasion". I'd change my purse just because my mood changed. I'd change it upon what color I was wearing that day. And what a pain in the rear it was to have to change out my wallet and make-up and personal items from purse to purse all the time.

That's why I LOVE my Miche bag (pronounced "mee-chee").

You get a base bag (mini, small, large, or diaper bag) in either brown, black, or cream. Then all you have to do from there get some shells (that attach via magnets) and change them up for whatever occasion or mood you're in! Miche has SO MANY cute styles and colors! There are endless possibilities.

And now you can change the handles, add bling and charms, etc.

I no longer have to change out my belongings every time I want a new look. All I have to do is change the shell and voila!

I love these purses so much I have decided to join the Miche team and introduce them to other women.

Here are just a few samples of the many shells available!

If anyone is interested in these, please let me know. As soon as I become a rep I will have my own website where you could directly order from. Otherwise, if you're local, I will let you know when a home party is coming up and I'll get you an invitation.

Seriously, these pictures do them little justice. I went to my first rep meeting last night and saw a bunch of them in person. They are SO much cuter in real person than they are on the internet or on a brochure.

And... I got to see some up and coming styles for the Fall and Winter season and they have some just DARLING items coming out soon!!!

Please let me know if you'd be interested in trying out a Miche and I will help you out!

What to do?

2010-08-20T18:57:00.002-04:00

I declare! Boredom is such a nuisance. It leads to all sorts of trouble.

Now, I'M not the one who's bored...
(how COULD I be with 4 kids 7 and under?!)

It's my kids.

I've tried explaining that their purpose here on life is NOT to be entertained, played with, or to constantly "have fun". I truly believe God desires us to work! Play comes afterward.

Here's lies the rub: with all our modern-day "conveniences" there's really very little "work" to be done. Sure there's the endless loads of laundry, the making of the beds, the emptying of the dishwasher... but beyond that, machines do all the rest of the work. Which leaves room for a lot of boredom, at least from my kids' perspective.

I try desperately to keep them busy, but seriously there's only so much that they can do! It's not like we've got wheat fields to harvest, cows to milk, massive garden's to tend, and houses to construct from scratch!

We've been reading through the Little House series (currently finishing up On the Banks of Plum Creek) and it simply amazes me to read what Mary and Laura were doing for their Ma and Pa! They were what, 9 and 7?!

But life's not like that anymore...

How do I keep them busy and helping me?

I'll tell you what, behavior problems rise up with a vengeance when boredom strikes.

Anyone got any ideas?

Adventures in "Gluten-Free"

2010-08-19T14:23:00.004-04:00

Taco Salad with corn chips.
*Homemade taco seasoning- a lot of commercial packet seasonings will have gluten.*

Meat Roll-Ups
(Deli meat, pepperoni, sprouts, and mustard)

Pepper Steak over brown rice & sauteed squash
(This particular batch of squash was cooked in oil & seasoned with steak seasoning.)

(crockpot) Pot Roast w/ potatoes and carrots & salad (w/ homemade Ranch dressing)

Chili over rice
(I load ours up with lots of beans! We like it hearty!)

Gluten Free store purchase from today!
-corn taco shells
-Nut Thins crackers
-baked beans
-xantham gum
-pancake/waffle mix
-arrowroot powder
-flax seed meal
-brown rice flour
-tapioca starch
-potato starch

These flours and starches are needed to blend together and make an "all-purpose flour" for baking:
Whisk together 6 cups (32 ounces) brown rice flour; 2 cups (10 3/4 ounces) potato starch; and 1 cup (4 ounces) tapioca starch or tapioca flour. Store airtight at room temperature. Note: You can substitute white rice flour for the brown rice flour if you like; it’ll make your baked goods grittier (unless you manage to find a finely ground version).
~From King Arthur's blog

Arrowroot is used as a thickener.
Flax seed meal is used for making breads.
Xanthan gum adds volume, viscosity, and thickening to baking.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At our local Kroger I saw they have 3 flavors of gluten-free Chex: rice, corn, and honey nut!

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Now that I have my flours and starches, I can't WAIT to try baking with them and actually have a slice of bread!!! I haven't had anything bread-ish in about 2 months!

I cannot tell you enough HOW MUCH BETTER I feel after having cut out gluten from my diet. It has made a incredible difference!

My youngest daughter, Cassandra, has always had some digestive issues. So yesterday I started her on the gluten free lifestyle. I can already tell a difference (less gas!- that's always a plus!).

Food

2010-08-11T18:42:00.003-04:00

Here's a batch of my Kombucha.
Sooooo good. And good for you!

------------------------------------------------------------
Grain Free Muffins
*so good... notice there's 2 missing!*

1 C nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, etc.)
1/3 C honey
2 eggs
1 Tbls lemon juice
1/2 tsp baking soda
approx. 1/4 C mini chocolate chips
Combine all ingredients with a mixer until well blended. Spoon into greased mini muffin tin. Bake at 350F for approx. 15-17 mins. (About the time you start smelling it, take it out, it's probably done!) Yields 24 mini muffins. Do not over bake.

Seriously, it has the exact same texture as a regular muffin would, just grain free. SO yummy! I prefer it with peanut butter myself.

I'm BACK! And a little something on health...

2010-08-08T21:49:00.003-04:00

Yea! It's good to be back to blog-land! I really enjoyed my time off during the month of July. I had a lot on my plate (especially emotionally) that I needed to think and sort through. It was nice having that undistracted time just "to be" and heal.

A lot has happened this past month.

The biggest, most significant thing that happened is that I discovered that I may very well be gluten intolerant.

My sister loves to do research on health issues and nutrition. It's kind of her hobby and I stand in awe at the sheer knowledge she possesses. Her latest interest has been on the topic of disease prevention. EVERYone on my mother's side of the family has Type II diabetes and several other surrounding health issues. But what's strange is that they don't eat badly. They hardly eat out. Everything is homemade. What gives? Why weight issues and diabetes? My sister has made a remarkable discovery: grain carbohydrates that are not metabolized and used for energy turn to sugar in the body. Sugar is poison to a diabetic/pre-diabetic! They shouldn't consume it!

As an experiment, both my sister and I (who are sitting ducks for Type II diabetes) removed ALL grains carbohydrates (wheat, oats, barley, etc) for 30 days just to see how we felt.

The result: we felt AMAZING!!!

I had no idea my "normal" was really "yuck" until I removed grains from my diet. You really don't NEED grains so long as you are eating a diet rich in fruits, veggies, nuts/seeds, and meat. For those 30 days I ate whole, REAL, unprocessed/undamaged foods minus grains and I have never felt better!!!

After my 30 day challenge, I decided to start re-introducing my body to grains. I started with corn. A-ok. No gastrointestinal problems.

Next grain: brown rice. Also A-ok! No problems.

Next grain: whole wheat. I ABOUT DIED. I'll spare you all the details but it was not well with my bowels.

Why would wheat grains bring me such utter distress?!!!

As my sister and I began researching this further, we discovered a thing called gluten intolerance, where basically gluten (a substance found in wheat grains) eats away at your intestinal flora and lining causing both a "leaky gut" and inflammation. Which, in turn, causes all kinds of problems: body stress (which increases cortisol levels), fatigue, adrenal exhaustion (which affects the thyroid gland), lowered immune system, problems regulating insulin, etc. My sister and I have hardly scratched the surface on this topic of gluten intolerance! It's fascinating!

So as of now, I'm going gluten free.

Here's a list of gluten do's and don'ts.

This July...

2010-07-03T22:54:00.001-04:00

Just as a heads up, I am planning on going "unplugged" from the internet for the entire month of July starting Monday the 5th. Want to spend some undistracted time focusing on my marriage and children. The internet, for me, is a big distraction/time-spender so I'm gonna go through a brief sabbatical from it all. I'll be back at the start of August. See you all then!!!

Homemade canned beans

2010-07-02T13:33:00.004-04:00

As I've been researching, I've discovered that canned beans have been stripped of a lot of their nutrients and texture (and are loaded with sodium, to boot) and are no where near as healthy for you as rehydrated dry beans. So RD and I have been busy making our own "homemade canned beans" and keeping them in the freezer. So far we've made two large batches, which in the end has produced a yield of 8 "cans" of beans.

It's SO easy! Here's how we did it:

1- in a large crockpot, add 1 lb of dried beans, 2 Tbls of acidic medium (whey, apple cider, lemon juice), and 8 cups water. Cover and let set at room temperature at least 8 hours or more.

2- drain and rinse. Return to crockpot. Add just enough water to cover the beans 2-3 inches. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours. (There WILL be some water remaining. Don't worry that it hasn't all been absorbed.)

3- drain and rinse again.

4- in sandwich baggies, portion out 1-1/2 cups of beans. (Each bag is equivalent to 1 can of beans.) Seal and store bean baggies in a freezer bag. Put in the freezer and use as needed.

A 1 lb bag of beans will yield 4 "cans" of beans in the end.

In the freezer, beans are good for about 6 months.
If you keep the bags in the refrigerator, it'll be good for about a week.

They taste SO much better than canned beans!
They're very tender- but NOT mush!

Did I mention, too, that dried beans are CHEAP?! :-)

Walking Away the Pounds

2010-07-02T13:16:00.002-04:00

I am now just shy of being 3 months post-partum and I'm walking away the pounds and getting fit. Joined a weight loss/health/accountability class at the church. I've cut out grain carbs (bread, pasta, noodles, corn, etc.) and I'm feeling great! (I'll post more on the why's and how's of deciding to go grain-free in a later post.) Taking my herbs. Trying hard to rebuild my ab muscles. I want to be as healthy as possible, both for the King I serve and for another future pregnancy (if the Lord wills).

Question...

2010-06-24T22:22:00.000-04:00

Is anyone reading this blog?

Nettle Infusions

2010-06-17T21:43:00.004-04:00

Lately, I've been drinking nettle infusions, my daily multivitamin in liquid form. This stuff is JAM-PACKED with nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and protein! And because this is plant-derived it is SO much more easily absorbed and utilized by our bodies than a pill.

Here's how I prepare mine:

1- Measure out 1 oz. of dried nettle herb. (I purchase mine in bulk from Bulk Herb Store and/or Mountain Rose Herbs.)

2- Place in a quart sized canning jar.

3- Pour and fill jar with boiling hot water.

4- Let steep for 4-8 hours. (I usually prepare mine the night before and let it set overnight.)

5- Strain herbs out. (Compost!)

6- Drink at preferred temperature (heated, chilled, or room temp).

Viola!

I'm not going to lie. It tastes pretty grassy. But everything I read says it's an acquired taste that you learn to appreciate and love. I can vouch that it gets more palatable the more you drink it. Try it and enjoy nourishing your body the natural, healthy way!!!

All right!

2010-06-13T22:34:00.004-04:00

Ever wonder what English sounds like to foreigners? This is a song of total gibberish made by an Italian gentleman.

The kids and I just really like that song. We play it a lot. It's catchy. Perhaps too catchy because one day I was just randomly spouting off the "Prisencolinensinainciusol" line and Edmund immediately followed up with an "all right". Check it out!

ANOTHER giveaway!

2010-06-11T13:28:00.003-04:00

Raising Homemakers is having ANOTHER giveaway!!! I can't believe it!!! Here's what's up now:

Anna Sofia & Elizabeth Botkin's book "So Much More" and (2) CD's entitled "Strength and Dignity For Daughters" and "What Our Father Taught Us About Boys". Check it out!

This summer.

2010-06-10T14:36:00.002-04:00

RD and I decided not to rush our children into a myriad of activities and practices until we noticed certain traits and natural abilities arising. They sure seem to be in our two oldest kids!

This summer, we're enrolling them in classes.

Arianna: painting/art
(She would seriously paint everyday/all day if I let her.)

Benjamin: basketball camp
(He's amazing with a ball! And I'm not just saying that as a proud parent. He's good!)

Got mosquito bites?

2010-06-10T14:15:00.005-04:00

I don't know about you, but the mosquitoes just LOVE our family, especially RD and Arianna. (I tell them it's because they're so "sweet".) Sometimes I wonder if mosquitoes prefer certain blood types. Hmmm... Anyway, for those of you that are suffering this summer with those pesky itchy bites, try this simple home remedy: Baking Soda Paste.

Pour out a bit of baking soda into a bowl and add enough water to make a paste. Rub a bit of the paste on the bug bite. Voila! Works like a charm. Takes the itch right out!
(Also works wonders on bee stings.)

Another wonderful thing to have around the house for bug bites is Watkins Salve. For minor cuts, scrapes, burns, and skin irritations. Looooove it!

Kombucha while pregnant and/or nursing...

2010-06-10T14:06:00.003-04:00

Good to know for future reference: http://www.foodrenegade.com/is-kombucha-safe-when-pregnant-or-nursing/

(Thanks, Susan!)

Paper Doll Books giveaway

2010-06-09T14:44:00.002-04:00

Raising Homemakers is at it again. Next up for a giveaway is a set of 3 Paper Doll Books. Click here for details!!!

Kombucha

2010-06-08T15:31:00.002-04:00

Today, a friend of mine dropped off a Kombucha mushroom. Very excited to get this brew started!!! I've heard about Kombucha on several mommy bloggers I follow~ have always been interested and intrigued but never indulged. It's basically a fermented (non-alcoholic) tea drink. For more information, head on over to Keeping the Home.

More homemade goodies!

2010-06-08T15:10:00.003-04:00

Thank you, Kendra, for sharing these recipes! SO good!!!

Onion Soup Mix
Makes approx. 5 Tbls (= 1 packet)

3-1/4 Tbl minced onion
4-1/4 tsp beef bouillon powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp crushed celery seed; celery salt; or crushed celery flakes
1/8 tsp sugar
Mix and use in place of onion soup packet.

Cassandra was mommy's little helper this morning. She helped me with all kinds of things. This is her mixing up the soup mix.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Next, Cassandra and I whipped up a batch of homemade mayonnaise!!!

Homemade Mayonnaise
Makes 1 C

1 whole egg
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbls white distilled vinegar
1/4 C vegetable oil
1 dash of paprika

3/4 C vegetable oil
In a blender, add all ingredients except the last 3/4 C oil. Blend on LOW for 2 minutes. Then, with the blender still running, take the cap off the lid and slowly pour the remaining 3/4 C oil in that blender as a thin stream. (Pouring too quickly will cause your mayo to be runny.) Caution: splattering may occur! Continue blending for a few more seconds, or until thickened; it doesn't take long. Store in fridge, preferably in a glass container.

God's Word from A to Z

2010-06-08T08:27:00.003-04:00

Visit Passionate Homemaking for a chance to win the CD "God's Word From A to Z" by Abe and Liza Philip~ Scripture put to music so God's Word can be hidden in the hearts of our children (and ours!).

"Completing Him" Summer Challenge

2010-06-08T07:15:00.003-04:00

Anyone interested in joining me on this adventure this summer?
Link up here at Women Living Well.

The challenge starts today and ends August 9th!

Be the woman your man needs!

Misc. homemade & herbal stuff

2010-06-07T16:14:00.004-04:00

Honey Whole Wheat Muffins
Yields: 9 muffins
(doubles & freezes well)

*1-1/2 C buttermilk
*1 C rolled oats
2 Tbl honey
2 Tbl vegetable oil
1 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease (or line with paper cups) muffin tin. Combine buttermilk and oats in a small saucepan; heat just until warm; stir in honey and vegetable oil; set aside. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add oat mixture to dry ingredients to form a batter. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned. Amazing served with butter and honey!
*can soak oats overnight

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Homemade Italian Dressing
*from New Life on a Homestead*

-------------------------------------------------------------------
My spearmint was about to flower so I picked several stalks off to dry and chop for tea. I love drinking just straight spearmint tea or adding it to other herbal mixes for added flavor.

Yet ANOTHER cool giveaway...

2010-06-07T15:56:00.003-04:00

... from Raising Homemakers: The Return of the Daughters DVD

***To watch the trailer, click here.

More on raw milk

2010-06-07T15:47:00.003-04:00

Warning: not for the squeamish.

---------------------------------------------------------------

A tale of two calves — one calf was fed on raw milk, the other on pasteurized (from: The Bovine blog)

Here are the preliminary results (June 3), as reported by Michael Schmidt:

Raw milk fed calf

To understand the results of our raw milk experiment it is important to tolerate the so called scientific demands. That means in order to get accepted and being taken seriously by the scientific establishment you need to have 100 or 200 or 300 or may be even 1000 calves to make a scientific valid point .However the simple fact that the so called experts have not yet entered into a joint research project as proposed by me already in 1994 has given me even a greater confidence that the results we have seen with these two calves are credible and significant. They are in fact supporting the findings of Pottenger’s cat study, which as well has been ignored and ridiculed.

Calf fed on pasteurized milk diet

The experiment was costing us over 5000 dollars just in milk. This is a significant amount for us, since we did not get any support from corporate sponsors.

The weight of the two calves was basically equal at the beginning of the feeding trial.

At the end the raw milk calf weight 200 kg and the pasteurized milk calf weight 115 kg.

They gained weight almost equally for about 8 weeks and then the pasteurized milk calf started falling back.

A significant difference during the 4 month trial was always the different smell and the consistency of the manure. The raw milk calf had mostly a well formed manure and normal smell you would expect. Contrary to that the manure of the pasteurized calf was runny and the color mostly grey or almost white during the feeding trial.

We did not treat either of these calves for any condition. We would have if there would have been a life threatening situation.

The hair on the raw milk calf was shiny and solid on the pasteurized calf dull and easily pulled out.

The alertness in the two calves was a major difference: the pasteurized calf seemed very uninterested with a clear lack of movement.

After nearly 5 months we could see that the pasteurized calf would have had difficulty to survive without medication and supplements.

Below are some of the pictures to show the obvious visual differences.

Livers: Pasteurized on the left, Raw on the right

A tale of two stomachs -- in the cart raw milk stomach with solid contents, and on the floor the stomach from the calf which was fed on pasteurised milk, with very bad smelling runny contents

Raw kidney

Kidney from pasteurized milk fed calf

Testes of pasteurized milk fed calf

Testes of raw milk fed calf

Lavender Bath Oil

2010-06-07T15:38:00.002-04:00

INGREDIENTS
15-30 drops essential oil
1 oz. carrier oil

Fill small container with carrier oil. Add the essential oils drop by drop, cap the container with a tight-fitting lid and shake well. Use 1-2 teaspoons of oil per bath.

For this batch, I used lavender essential oil and canola oil. Smells SO good!!!

Bechard Family Farm Under Attack!

2010-06-05T20:45:00.002-04:00

Recently read this this post and really felt the need to share. Please read, spread the word, and help!!! Our rights as Americans are seriously under attack!!!

Bechard Family Farm Under Attack

(from New Life On a Homestead)

>4 June 2010

I feel compelled to share this story with you, and to do all I can to get the word out, probably because this family could easily be my own, they could be any of our friends or neighbors. This is my fight just as much as it is theirs. And if you love natural food, if you love gardening, farmers markets, CSA’s, or raw milk, then this is your fight as well.

The Bechard’s are a quiet, simple family, living on 115 acres of farm pasture and forest land in Missouri. Teddi and her husband Armand have been busy raising 7 beautiful children, who all work together to make the Bechard Family Farm. True to homesteading nature, they converted a pole barn into their home, and lived completely off-grid there for four years. Though they have since installed a water heater and electric well pump, they continue heating their humble home with nothing but a wood stove.

On the farm they raise 5 different pastured meats: chickens, turkeys, beef cows, lambs, and pigs. Along with the meat, they sell eggs, breads, jams, soaps, and raw milk (which is perfectly legal in their state). They also run a food ministry in their town.

The Bechards have about 20 families who buy raw milk by the gallon from their farm. In the state of Missouri, the law says that consumers are allowed to purchase milk from a farm, and the farmer is allowed to deliver the milk to the customers; they are NOT allowed to set up a vending area outside of the farm to sell the milk.

The Bechards had designated a drop-off point for their customers to come and pick up their milk in the parking lot of a local natural foods store. They were not trying to sell the milk, simply distributing pre-ordered milk. On two separate occasions, two of the Bechard daughters (ages 17 and 21) were passing milk out to their customers, when they were approached by two Springfield-Greene County Health Department undercover agents, who asked if the had any extra milk that they could sell. By chance, on those particular days they happened to have some extra milk that had been pre-ordered but had not been picked up (which Armand said was highly unusual), so the girls allegedly allowed the agents to buy a gallon of milk on both occassions. The health department employees did not identity themselves. Now the father, Armand Bechard, is being charged because he is the producer of the milk, even though he was not there to supervise the teens during the sting.

Teddi and Berchard are now facing up to 180 days jail time, huge legal fees and fines, and the possibility of losing their precious farm. All because of what? Milk! This is infuriating!! Does Springfield-Greene county have no real criminals to be prosecuting? Are there no gang bangers, no thieves, no drug dealers or sex offenders to be watching, that their biggest concern is setting up a sting operation against two teenage girls distributing milk?! I’m sure the health department agents had nothing to do with the “mystery” order of milk which was never picked up. What a perfect way to set up such easy targets for their sting. Is this what the tax payers want their money funding? What a disgrace!

So, now the Bechards are being sued not only by the state, but by Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster who is representing the State Milk Board. (I find it interesting that the Supervisor at the Springfield-Greene County Health Department is also Chairman of the Milk Board.)

The Bechards aren’t giving in easily, though. They are prepared to fight. They are being represented by The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund. But they need help raising financial support for their case. This is the main reason for me writing this post, they need help. If any of you on Facebook would like to support this family’s legal defense, you can donate any amount on their Sponsor Bechard Family Campaign page.

Raw milk from healthy, pastured cows is not only safe, but it’s BETTER for you than its store bought impersonator. If you don’t know much about the difference between raw milk and pasteurized/homogenized, I urge you to research it for yourself. Dr. Mercola has written countless articles on the subject, which you can check out on his website, mercola.com. And although raw milk has been safely consumed since the beginning of time, the FDA has so thoughtfully decided that it is now unsafe.

Oh, and since I’m on the subject, check out what the FDA had to say when confronted with questions regarding the constitutionality of raw milk bans:

“…there is no fundamental right to consume the food of one’s choice or to give one’s family members the food of one’s choice.”

There you have it. We have no right to choose for ourselves what we use to nourish our bodies. Our government gets to choose for us. Aren’t we all so relieved to have them watching out for us?

This is why the Bechard Family’s fight is so important. This is why I wrote a letter to Attorney General Chris Koster expression my utter disgust with the way they have treated the Bechard family. Because the more they bully the small farmers out of business, the more powerful the big industry grows, and the fewer truly healthy choices of natural, local food we will have available to us.

I wish I could help them more. But all I can do is my small part. Here is my offer to you…

Any of you who either blog about what is happening to the Bechard Family, or who can donate even a small amount to their legal defense fund, will get an extra entry in my next giveaway, which will be for a $25 gift card to CSN online stores (I’ll get that giveaway up next week, as soon as my order from them has arrived for the review). Just leave a comment either here or on the giveaway post letting me know how you’ve helped this family’s fight, and a link to your post if you write one, and you’ll be entered.

I am holding my breath to see the outcome of this whole ordeal. May the Lord be with them, and preserve their home and livelihood.

My garden

2010-06-04T16:17:00.006-04:00

Here's my little plot!

--------------------------------------------------------
Tour time!!!

Here's our tomato patch: Early Girls, Better Boys, and 1 Roma
Amazingly enough, they resurrected from the deer "visitation" they received soon after planning. Grrrr. Vermin, I tell you! And if deer were ugly like possums deer season would last a lot longer! (Sorry for the rant.) But I only lost 1 plant. It's taken a lot of lovin' to get the rest of them to come out of it, being they were partially eaten and pulled from the ground. You can also see my lavender plant at the bottom. First year I got blooms! Can't wait for them to open!!!

Here's my Nasturium rows. Edible.
We like to eat them in our salads. The bright yellow and orange flowers they produce make salads look SO beautiful! And they're hearty... last long into the fall season.

Some flowers my kids bought for me!
(They remembered pink is my favorite color!)

Arianna's Sweet Peas.

My little pumpkin patch.
The one "wet spot" on the bottom right is a volunteer watermelon. Very small.

My Angel Face rose bush!!!
Got it from a sweet lady at church, Judy W., in remembrance of Francesca. It's got two little buds that are just about to bloom. Makes me SO happy!!!

In the back is Cassandra's Wild Flower patch.
At the bottom (from left to right) is transplanted wild onions (Arianna's thing), lemon mint, and spearmint.

Garlic Ear Drops

2010-06-04T12:48:00.004-04:00

Whenever one of our kids complains about their ear(s) hurting, we pull out the garlic. This stuff is amazing! It's most notably known for its antibacterial and antiviral properties, but it is useful in so many more ways (antiseptic, antiparasitic, antifungal, immune-stimulating...). I hope to one day do an extensive write-up on this stuff because it can be used to heal and treat many different ailments.

Just this week, our son Benjamin came down with a fever and ear infection. I'm not a doctor, but it's pretty easy to tell when your child has one: can't sleep at night, says his ear hurts, fever, etc. So I whipped up a batch of garlic oil ear drops. Just 2-3 days of starting him on his garlic treatments and he's up and running.

Here's a tutorial so you can make your own drops at home.

Mince 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic. Place in a double boiler. (I don't have one so I use two the two-pot method as shown below.) Add enough olive oil to cover the minced garlic.

Bring your water to a gentle boil, then drop down to a simmer. Cook oil/garlic mixture on low for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. If garlic starts sticking to the bottom of the pan, lower your heat just a tad.

Strain. I use a cheesecloth because it doesn't absorb much oil.

Squish with a spoon to get that last bit of juice out.
Good till the last drop. :-)

Ta-da! Garlic oil ear drops.

Pour into a jar and store in refrigerator.

We use a regular dropper like this:

Make sure oil is around body temperature before placing in the ear. I pour a small amount out into a little bowl and microwave it for 10-12 seconds. Just make sure and test it so it's not too hot!

2-3 drops in infected ear 4x/daily

Continue with this treatment for 2-3 days after symptoms have been gone away to ensure the infection has completely been eliminated.
----------------------------------------------------
On top of these ear drops, I also use a bit of garlic oil on the outside of the ear. I swab any exposed part of the ear with it.

Another cool giveaway!

2010-06-04T06:33:00.003-04:00

This same website also has another neat giveaway opportunity! Anyone interested in winning a Homestead Blessings 10 DVD set?

Got girls?

2010-06-04T06:26:00.002-04:00

An oh-so-cool giveaway that may interest you mommies out there who are raising daughters!

http://raisinghomemakers.com/?p=246

Dresses (part II)

2010-06-03T21:42:00.003-04:00

Out of the blue, RD said this evening that he LOVES me wearing dresses. And he didn't even know yet that I posted about MY personal love and preference of dresses here earlier. Said they make me cute and flatter my "femininity". LOL

Dresses

2010-06-03T11:38:00.002-04:00

Not so sure I'd go so far as to say I am a "dresses only" kind of gal... but I'm definitely sold on the beauty, feel, and look of femininity that goes along with wearing dresses. This summer has been a turning point for me in regard to the way I clothe myself. Basically I've worn nothing but dresses or skirts everyday. I LOVE them! And so do our girls (with no prodding from me). They are SO comfortable. And they're actually cooler than shorts during those warm/hot summer days. And the most selling feature of dresses... they hide that "little extra" or other physical blemishes. Looking back upon my past, I wish I'd of been more into skirts and dresses. Back in my college days I struggled with an eating disorder. Why I thought I was fat I'll never know. Pictures from those days reveal otherwise. With pants and shorts, there is not much left to the imagination. They don't hide a darned thing! Perhaps I wouldn't have struggled so with body image and appearance if I could have "hidden" whatever displeasing feature I thought I had. Even now, as I have a few extra pounds of baby weight on my frame, I can feel pretty and comfortable in a dress because those extra pounds are somewhat hidden. Just yesterday, I wore a pair of pants because I had a chiropractic appointment to attend. It was canceled and rescheduled due to illness in the family, but I continued wearing my jeans throughout the day. I just felt frumpy and fat all day long. I'd catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror or window as I passed by and caught myself thinking "wow, look at that backside! Hmmm. Gotta work on that. Oh, and those thighs! How did they get so round?!" Didn't dawn on me until later when talking with a girlfriend about my fatness-predicament that I was wearing PANTS. Granted, they were modest, but they don't hide much. Every curve and lump could be seen. Been worse if I were wearing shorts! As soon as I got off the phone I slipped into a skirt... ahhh... much better. Immediately I felt comfortable and feminine. I really can't explain it...

There is something so flattering and beautiful about a woman in a dress.

Visit from a friend

2010-05-27T19:03:00.003-04:00

One of the many sweet "God providence" incidences following our loss of Francesca was a visit from my dear friend, Michelle, who just "happened to be in the area" for a family function they were attending. She brought her children David, Grace, and Gregory with her. She came up on the 15th of April, just 6 days after Francesca's birth. It was SO NICE to see her and visit with her family.

Michelle and I

Miss Arianna

All our kiddos playing

Grace pulling Edmund on the wagon.

Michelle and Gregory

Arianna and Cassandra (and Shadow, our Husky).

All our "babies":
Benjamin, David holding Gregory, Grace, Cassandra, and Arianna holding Edmund.

Grace and Cassandra

David and Benjamin were like two peas in a pod.
Having a good 'ol time playing the "protector" role!

I love this shot of Gregory. He is SO cute. Baby chub at it's finest!

David and Benjamin hugging on each other...

Then tumbling to the ground in laughter.

Thank you Michelle. Your visit was a wonderful solace from the difficulty and pain we were going through.
~Much love.

Nummies from the kitchen

2010-05-27T18:31:00.002-04:00

Szechwan Stir fry

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Johanna Mezetti
Serves: 6-8

1-1/2 lb ground beef
1/4 C chopped onion
4 oz. dry egg noodles
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 C sour cream
1/2 C milk
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 C chopped mushrooms
1-2 Tbls worchestershire sauce
salt & pepper to taste
Brown beef and onions in large skillet. Drain. In separate pot, cook noodles until tender. Drain. Add cooked noodles, sour cream, milk, mushroom soup, mushrooms, cheese, and worchestershire sauce to browned beef. Cook on medium-high heat until heated through and cheese is melted.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese Side Salad
Serves: 12

Salad:
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
2 tsp. sesame seeds
1 pkg. crumbled Ramen noodles
2 moderate handfuls of frozen peas
1 large carrot, shredded
1 stalk celery, sliced
1/4 C chopped onions (green onions)
slivered almonds (optional)

Dressing:
1/2 C oil
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 Tbls white vinegar
1/2 tsp black pepper
flavor packet from Ramen noodles
Pour dressing on salad just before serving.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ham and Bean Soup
Serves: 10

Soak for 12-24 hours the following dry beans:
1 C pinto
1 C garbanzo
1 C black
Once rehydrated, drain and place in large crockpot.
Add the following:
leftover ham bone from roast (with bits of meat left on it)
2 carrots, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
whatever leftover veggies happen to be in your fridge :-)
1-2 tsp minced garlic
2-3 tsp savory
salt and pepper to taste
Cook on LOW for 6 hours (HIGH for 4).

Mom's say the darndest things!

2010-05-22T17:56:00.002-04:00

Here are just SOME of the funnies that have passed through my lips as a mother:

-Leave my nuts alone and take care of business! (I left a container of mixed nuts on the table and Cassandra was playing with it when she should have been getting dressed.)

-Stop shooting your sister!

-Please, stop painting the table with cheese!

-Your finger is not bologna! (Benjamin bit his finger while eating a slice of bologna during snack.)

-Edmund, get out of the dishwasher!

-Farts are NOT funny!

-Get your brother out of that princess dress!

-Don't eat dirt!

-Don't eat your boogers! (Ewwww.)

-Peanuts do NOT go up your nose!

Food randomness

2010-05-22T15:46:00.004-04:00

- trying my hand at soaking beans for the first time. Got dried great northern, pinto, and garbanzo beans soaking in pots on the stove. Going to make a ham, veggie, and bean soup tomorrow. Using a ham bone I saved from a roast for the meat and broth. Mmmmm.

-RD and I are really wanting to eat no-hormone/antibiotic meats from now on. We already get beef from my brother-in-law's father (who's a cattle farmer). They also have access to purchasing pork (which we will be doing once we get a bit more freezer space). Here's our first purchase of "happy chicken" we bought at the local bulk food store. Their prices are a bit more than that which you'd get at the grocer, but really not too bad at all. Tasted SO yummy!!!

(The two packages above made more than this, but a few pieces were nabbed already before I was able to get the camera!)
*They didn't shrink during the cooking process!*

Also tried frying up some sliced radishes. Got the idea from Happy To Be Called "Mommy". They were really yummy!!!

Exercise Stats

2010-05-22T15:33:00.004-04:00

Week 1:
Time on EA Sports Active: 2 hr, 3 min
Time of Wii Fit: 1 hr, 37 min
Calories burned: 601.4
(also doing sit-ups each day)

Happenings...

2010-05-18T15:39:00.006-04:00

Random things as they flow through my mind this afternoon:

-starting a hard core exercise regime. Been at it for several days now. Hope to lose the baby weight and get skinny/healthy! I only had 13 pounds to lose last time I checked. Weigh-in's on Sunday. Curious myself to know where I'm at.

-really monitoring carefully my diet. Trying to cut back on carbs and sugars. Karen Hurd uses a LOT of beans in her diet. Using her plan to control depressive symptoms as I am trying to wean off of Zoloft. Immediately following the whole Francesca thing, I got on it (as a preventative measure) but I don't want to be on it any longer. Personally, I'm not sure it's helping. Secondly, I don't think I need it. God has truly and radically helped me get through my worst fear in life!!! To Him be all the glory!!!

-homeschool is in full swing! Lovin' it!

-looking forward to a weekend getaway with my hubby the weekend of June 12th! We're planning on visiting Michigan City, IN (lake, dunes, hiking, shopping, casinos *LOL*). Can't wait! My parents are coming down from Michigan to watch the kiddos. (Thanks guys! LOVE YOU!!!)

-also looking forward to some up-coming camping trips with friends and family. Going rustic and "tenting" (as the children call it).

-got my garden in. Originally, the plan was to go simple (flowers & tomatoes). But I've really found gardening to be incredibly therapeutic and it's turning out to be a bit more elaborate: onions, garlic, cilantro, parsley, mint/lemon mint, roses, lavender, and pumpkins. RD's aunt was clearing out her garden and brought over a wonderful stash of perennials for us to have: cone flowers, a walnut tree, columbine, and various other flowers. On top of that, we were given a crabapple tree and lilac bush in memory of Francesca. Perhaps the reason gardening is so intriguing and healing for me is because I can see and cultivate "life" during an experience of death. It's really spurred on a love of plants and greenery. As of late I find myself drooling over gardens and nurseries and green houses. RD and I have jokingly mentioned someday starting up an "organics" line of produce to sell. You just never know...

-finally dragged out the bags of blanched tomatoes I have had in the freezer since 2007!!! I thought for sure they were gonners, killed by freezer burn. But I was pleasantly surprised and mistaken! RD and I canned 33 pints of salsa this past weekend!!! SO fresh! Tastes an awful lot like Herdez salsa you get at the store (which has all natural ingredients). If you're local, stop by and pick some up!

YES!!! Right on!!!

2010-05-11T21:34:00.001-04:00

Compliments of Keeping the Home.
----------------------------------------------

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Is it an Experience, or an Excuse?

There are many types of people in this world, but for simplicity's sake, and for the purposes of this article, let's say there are two - those who don't necessarily relish their lives, and they have plenty of excuses for it, and those who have many of the same rough situations occur in their lives, but they count them as experiences and learn and grow from them.

I hope I fall into the second category, for that is where I want to be. I think I naturally do, because I've never been much of a victim mentality sort of person.

Life is full of difficulties, and many a Christian has pleaded with the Lord to know why He had let certain things occur in their life. I've done that, and now look back years later and see the bigger picture. Sure, "y" hurt and was hard, but if it weren't for "y," "z" wouldn't have come about, and "z" is very important.

We all have trials, hardships, and tribulations. We all have minds, free will, and therefore decisions to make. When hard times hit you, what are you going to do about it? The way I see it, is that you could be the "victim," and use those hard times as excuses as to why you aren't getting out of life what you wish you were, or you could be the victor, and come out swinging.

The victim rarely learns from their hardships, except how to be good at making excuses. The victor, on the other hand, refuses to get beat down. The Christian victor tells the Lord "I know this is in Your hands, and the Scriptures promise me that things will work out for the good, so I'm going to smile, even if it is fake at first, and I am going to persevere." The victor comes away with more from their downtrodden experience than they did before entering that dark time of their life. They come away with life experiences they can look back to, and an enriched character. They come away with tools, such as more wisdom, which will be used later in their life, not only to help them through other rough patches, but also to help others.

Yes, the Lord will let certain hardships fall upon us, but if we keep the faith and keep our eyes on our Saviour, then we see that He never leaves us - ever. He is there with us, strengthening us, telling us what to do. We must look for what the Lord is telling us in these rough patches. Trust in the Lord, and He will see you through. You will come out the victor. Don't be the victim, but be the one who learns from these hard experiences. If we allow the Lord to work in and through us, then each of these experiences will grow us to be more like Jesus. Growth doesn't come from an easy life; character certainly does not. Growth and character come from persevering, and being the victor, instead of the victim.

Are you having a rough time right now? Look to the Lord, and this too shall pass. Will you let this be an experience in your life, or an excuse that you will look back to, excusing why aren't who you want to be?

Have you heard...

2010-05-11T21:25:00.002-04:00

... of "Hurd"?

Karen Hurd is a nutritionist that uses food to heal. I daresay I am intrigued with her work and her concepts of food and health.

4:30-6:30pm (continued)

2010-05-09T19:16:00.002-04:00

I think instead of just having "recess" I'm going to start taking the kids out for a walk. We have a nice subdivision next door that is two miles in length road-wise. Figure I can get some exercise, reboot physically/emotionally/spiritually, and wear the kids out all at the same time!!! :-) Then we can come home to mood lighting and soft music. Kids can have quiet read time while I prepare dinner. We'll see how it works this next week!

4:30-6:30pm craziness!!!

2010-05-08T21:51:00.002-04:00

For SOME reason the 4:30-6:30pm portion of any given day (weekday or weekend) is CRAZY at our house!!! Am I alone in this???

Quiet Time's over. Daddy's coming home soon. Dinner will be on the table soon.

Apparently "transition" means "let's be crazy nuts!". ;-)

So I'm gonna try changing my approach to the day to counteract this.

1- "recess" following afternoon Quiet Time (which ends usually around 4pm)

2- play soothing/quiet music when they come inside for dinner

3- dim the lighting to a few lamps

4- burn candles

We'll see if it works.

Anyone else got any ideas on how to create a mood of calmness as they day comes to a close?

Easing back into it

2010-05-07T14:33:00.004-04:00

This week the kids and I started easing back into the realm of school. Hopefully this weekend I'll have time to get lessons for each day prepared. Even though we've taken about a month off from "formal" school, it's been amazing to see the two older kids testing out their reading skills on signs and cereal boxes and such.

Hopefully this little break will have been beneficial for the kids. It's been less structured and much more relaxed. It's been nice.

Thinking about redoing our schedule as well, having "recess" and garden time in the morning when it's cooler and doing school during the hottest part of the day.

Update and stuff

2010-05-02T22:09:00.002-04:00

We are holding up really good... surprisingly good. So often I hear how tragic things can make people and marriages crumble. But through the sustaining power of God and through the prayers and help of others, I feel as though we are stronger. Losing Francesca not only has brought RD and I closer as a couple, it has also brought us closer to God. We are seeing and knowing Him like we've never experienced before. It's been a bitter but sweet road to healing.

Hopefully as time goes on I will unfold some of that which has been happening. As it stands, I could seriously write a novel!

Here are just a few random thoughts as they pop into my head:
1- started exercising today using the Wii EA Sports Active "game" (LOW impact). Also did a mild set of sit-ups. Feeling pretty good! Gained somewhere around 30 lbs. Have 13 lbs to lose to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight.
2- our church has been amazing! For the past 3 weeks we have been provided with meals! Today, we had our last meal. So this evening I did inventory and meal planning. Getting out to the grocery store tomorrow AM. It's been absolutely WONDERFUL having meals made for us each evening. But it will definitely be nice to start making some of our own food again. I miss being in the kitchen. It's therapeutic. :-)
3- Benjamin isn't taking Francesca's passing very well. He's SO tender hearted. And he wanted a baby sister SO bad. He'd hug and talk to my belly every day, loving on her. He's been acting out and getting frustrated and angry quite a bit. We're going to talk to our church counselor tomorrow to see if he's got any resources on children and grief. The other kids seem to be handling it ok.
4- reading an amazing book entitled "Shattered Dreams" by Larry Crabb. A MUST READ for anyone facing a trial or tragedy in their lives!!! Also reading through the Psalms and journaling.
5- really need to get back into the swing of homeschooling again. We basically took off the entire month of April (go fig'). We've still been reading the Bible and library books, doing arts and crafts, playing on PBSkids.com and Starfall.com... but as far as phonetics, reading lessons, handwriting, etc... Think I'll spend this next week lesson planning and rewetting my feet so to speak. Start school back up again in a week. But that's the bliss of schooling through the year: you can take breaks and still get your days in!

Willow Tree

2010-04-26T13:00:00.002-04:00

This one's entitled "Grandmother".
I gave it to my mother following the Memorial Service.

A friend of mine, Theresa R., gave this to me. It's called "The Angel of Spring". Which is so fitting considering the season we're in and the fact that as a family we are beginning a new chapter of life... a genesis...

From the Memorial Service

2010-04-26T12:34:00.000-04:00

A beautiful bouquet we received from our friends Jim and Tammi P.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Auntie Shauna made headbands for the girls:

(Hey... wait a minute!)
Edmund's secure enough in his manhood to pull this one off. *grin*

--------------------------------------------------------------------
The table

A closeup of the embroidery on the blanket that my friend Rebekah M. made. It's a bit shiny, but it says Francesca Rose, April 9, 2010.

The bib was made by my friend Laura H.
Those are Francesca's hair clippings on the pink satin fabric.
The box was for cards.

A beautiful bracelet handmade by my friend Hannah C.

Memorial Service

2010-04-23T18:46:00.001-04:00

Please remember and pray for RD and I (and the kids) tomorrow as we are having Francesca's Memorial Service. It will be at 11am. If you'd like service information, please email me at growthasawifeandmom(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Yea!

2010-04-22T07:10:00.001-04:00

I think my milk has finally dried up! One less painful physical reminder...

Memorial Portrait

2010-04-21T21:05:00.003-04:00

A lady from our church, Sarah L., is an AMAZING artist. She painted this (watercolor) as a Memorial for Francesca. The Scripture at the bottom is difficult to read, but it says this:

"All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

The two leaves on the right signify RD and I.
The leaves on the left signify Arianna, Benjamin, Cassandra, Baby "D", and Edmund.
It's absolute breathtaking!

More on Francesca

2010-04-19T11:39:00.002-04:00

Pregnancy Loss ribbon

Her footprints. We weren't able to get her prints transferred to paper so this is all we have.

Hair clippings.

Only have 16 lbs of baby weight to work off.

Francesca's urn

2010-04-17T17:38:00.004-04:00

A dear friend from church who is an amazing artist painted this rose on Francesca's urn. It is JUST gorgeous!!! She also woodburned her name and stats on the bottom.

How we're doing.

2010-04-14T07:15:00.005-04:00

We are doing well, considering the circumstances. We have absolutely been showered with love, prayers, help, food, childcare, etc. We had no idea so many people cared! People have been literally coming out of the woodwork to help when and where they can. We were afraid people would be nervous talking and being with us because they wouldn't know what to say. WE don't even know what to say!!! It's just soooo incredibly healing to talk and be with people.

Physically, I am healing like any other delivery. We were concerned at first about infection but have been blessed with a quick recovery. My breasts are still very very tender as they are engorged with milk. But I've been drinking sage tea (bleh- it tastes like liquid pine needles) and wearing tight fitting bras. From what I've read and heard, I should dry up within the week. It'll be soooo nice when the physical reminders of what happened go away.

The preliminary autopsy revealed that Francesca was a completely healthy and normal baby. No genetic disorders. No cord problems. The doctor doing the autopsy said "this was an act of God". At first, I was SO angry! WHAT?!!! Our baby was fine?!!! How and why did she die then?!!! But we realized that if something had been wrong with her, we would have to get genetics testing and any future pregnancy would be terribly frightening as we'd wonder if this baby would die, too. We know we can get pregnant, sustain pregnancy, and have healthy children. This was ordained by God from eternity past to happen. She was HIS child!

RD and I have NO idea why this happened. But God in all His mercy and grace has shown us in more ways then we can count that this was providential. The timing of it all, the birth process itself, people being at the right time at the right place, etc. This was meant to happen. We have no doubt or question about that! Hopefully in the near future when I get a chance to put this all down into words, I'll share the many many many ways we have seen this as providence.

There is this amazing company that does photo restoration specifically for stillbirth or babies that die soon after birth. It's called Baby Angel Pics. It's a free service! The photos we have of her are... unpleasant. So we are simply thrilled to do this! Perhaps we may catch a glimpse of what she could or would have looked like...

We have decided to cremate her and keep the ashes. A Memorial Service for Francesca is scheduled for Saturday April 24 at 11am. For anyone interested in information about the service, in contributing to her Memorial Fund, or sending cards/flowers/gifts, please email me at: growthasawifeandmom(at)yahoo(dot)com.

We thank you for all the many prayers that you have been lifting up on our behalf. And we are soooo appreciative of the support and love you have shared.

Some things you can specifically be praying for are:
1- that RD and I don't mentally go off into left field thinking wrong thoughts about this situation. Pray that we remain grounded on the truth we know to be true: that our God is a good God and that He uses evil for good; that He has plans to prosper us and not to harm us.
2- for RD and I's marriage to remain strong, that this would in fact bring us closer as a couple to one another and to God.

Francesca Rose

2010-04-10T17:02:00.001-04:00

It is with great sadness we report that Francesca Rose was born yesterday evening at 8:30pm stillborn. Still awaiting autopsy results. Funeral arrangements are still pending. RD and I wish to thank friends and family for your love and support. We are doing as well as can be expected. Not sure yet what we need, as we are still in shock over everything. Will keep you posted.

37 weeks!!!

2010-04-01T14:00:00.002-04:00

Had my midwife appointment this morning and everything looks great! I'm right at 37 weeks so I've officially entered the "Walking Time Bomb" stage of pregnancy. Good strong heart beat. Head down, although, not engaged. But the midwife said that's not a concern seeing as how I've had 4 previous children and I'm a bit more "roomy". The baby may not even engage until the onset of labor. So... I'll keep everyone posted. When I go into labor I will be sure and put in an entry about it. Now, if the baby's listening, he/she will know to come next weekend because my parents will be down for a visit. ;-)

Goodies I got today!!!

2010-03-29T16:17:00.005-04:00

Ended up having to reschedule my appointment with the midwife today. She was up all night with a birth and said she "wants to make an appointment with her bed". I don't blame her. So, I go see her Thursday AM.
----------------------------------------------------------------
So... this morning with my newly allotted "free time", I decided to snag my girlfriend, Rebekah M., and head out to the local(ish) scratch-n-dent store. Here are the bargain finds I brought home:

-(8) 46oz (100% juice) Juicy Juice bottles
-(2) 10pks (100% juice) Minute Maid juice boxes
-3 lb (local) honey
-natural granola
-Safflower oil
-pretzels
-(4) pkg candy (for kiddos)
-Worchestershire sauce
-steak Sauce
-TOTAL: $28.30

---------------------------------------------------------------
Picnic with the kids!
--------------------------------------------
Pick-up time for our first organic produce order was from 1-3pm today. We swung over there on our way back into town. Here's what I purchased:

-(6) avocados
-5oz bag of spinach
-(6) mangoes
-3lb Fuji apples
-(2) bunches broccoli
-5lb russet potatoes
-2lb carrots
-TOTAL: $29.38

----------------------------------------------------------
Not used to purchasing produce for (2) weeks so we'll see how this order goes. We went a bit conservative (plus we have veggies left over from our last grocery store trip). We knew that purchasing organic was going to bump up our grocery bill a tad. But we're countering that by not eating out and making things as much from scratch as possible. It's an investment to health.

The lady that is heading up this co-op has 8 children between the ages of 11 and 7mo. and they live on a small farm. Our children had a HAY DAY and made some new friends.

Fun day!

Diluting

2010-03-28T22:45:00.006-04:00

I was asked just today, actually, about how much juice and milk we go through in any given week. The ladies I was with made the natural assumption that we must go through a ton because of our family size. They were shocked to discover that we only go through about 2 gallons of milk/1 large jug of juice a week. That's including both consumption and baking.

How do we do it?

We dilute.

I've always cut juice almost in half with water ever since we started having children. We didn't have a whole lot of money when we first got married and starting having babies so I scrimped wherever I could. After a while, it became habit. Our kids don't know the difference because it's all they've ever known.

It's only been recently that I've started diluting our milk. I got the idea from New Life on a Homestead. At our Aldi store, the price for 2% (our usual) is identical to the price of whole/vitamin D milk (approx. $2.09/gallon). So I simply started purchasing vitamin D milk and diluting it (almost in half) for both consumption and baking purposes. NO ONE'S noticed the difference!

Eating Real (next project)

2010-03-28T22:34:00.002-04:00

On our quest to "Eating Real", we are looking into preparing LARGE batches of Cream of Mushroom Soup and freezing them in can-sized packages (10.5 oz) for recipes and cooking. We go through this stuff like crazy!!! But after looking at the ingredients list on a typical can, we've decided to just make our own from scratch.

One thing I've noticed about our Kroger store is that you can almost regularly get organic "I'm on my last leg" packages of mushrooms CHEAPER than the sale priced regular 'shrooms. There's nothing wrong with them other than the fact they need to used pronto or they'll spoil. Which is just fine for our purposes....

Homemade goodies & misc.

2010-03-28T22:03:00.003-04:00

5-Spice Casserole
Serves: 6

1 lb ground beef
3/4 C onions, chopped
1-1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp oregano
1/2 small bay leaf
(2) 8 oz cans tomato sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 C cooked brown rice (or 1 cup quick cooking rice)
stuffed green olives, sliced
4-6 oz shredded Cheddar cheese (or Velveeta)
Brown meat and onions. Drain. Stir in remaining ingredients, except olives and cheese. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Spoon into shallow 1-1/2 qt. greased baking dish. Arrange a lattice of cheese over top. Bake at 350F until cheese melts. Garnish with olives.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Peanut Butter Muffins
Makes: 1 dozen

2-1/4 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbls butter, softened
1/2 C brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 C peanut butter
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
3/4 C buttermilk
1 C chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a muffin tin or line with papers and coat the papers with nonstick spray. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Cream together the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the peanut butter; mix until well incorporated. Beat in the vanilla and the eggs. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients; mix until moistened. Add 1/2 of the buttermilk, mix until combined, then add the remaining dry ingredients and the remaining buttermilk. When batter is evenly mixed, stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake the muffins until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean: 23-25 minutes. Do not over-bake!!! Remove from oven and allow muffins to cool in pan for 5 min. then remove them onto a cooling rack.
* Can prepare the night before and allow grains to soak in refrigerator. Allow at least 10 min to soften at room temperature before scooping into muffin tin.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Fluffy White Frosting (like marshmallow cream)
Makes: enough for top of 9x13 cake

1/2 C white sugar
1/6 C water (which is 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons)
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1 egg white
1/2 tsp vanilla
In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, water, and cream of tartar. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is bubbly. In a medium mixing bowl, whip the egg white and vanilla to soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar mixture while whipping constantly until stiff peaks form, about 7-10 min. Frost cake.
*If frosting top and sides of a 9x13 OR if making a layered cake, double this recipe.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
I know this has nothing to do with food, but I was thrilled nonetheless. My sister got me a new Boppy pillow for Baby F!!! After (4) children, by poor old Boppy bit the dust. I was desperately needing a new one. Thanks, Cyndi!!!
Gender neutral and retro. Love it!

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Update on Baby F:
Been really crampy and uncomfortable this whole entire weekend. LOTS of Braxton Hicks contractions, but nothing painful or regular. I have an appointment with the midwife tomorrow morning so if there's any updates I'll let you know.

There are two ladies at the church that are seriously thinking I'll go in the next 10 days. LOL They said they can "tell by my eyes" or something. We'll see! ;-)

Clothing Transfer

2010-03-27T17:52:00.002-04:00

Today, I transferred all (4) kiddos' clothing over to summer stuff. Kept out jackets, sweaters, leggings, and tights- but pretty much all their winter stuff is stored away. I know it's early, but with the baby coming, I wanted to get this process out of the way.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Many family members/friends have been asking what we need kid-wise, especially with birthday's coming up. So here's the list:

Arianna: (size 7)
*CLOTHES! Specifically dresses (1 piece or skirt sets)
*1 piece swimsuit
*(for cooler weather) leggings (white, cream, pink, jean) like:
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Benjamin: (size 6)
*swim trunks
*summer pj's
*short sleeve dress shirts (for church)
*khaki pants; preferably w/ adjustable waist
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Cassandra: (4T)
*she's ALL SET!!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Edmund: (2T)
*crib sheets (white/gender neutral)
*swim suit
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Baby F:
*Pack 'n Play

Eating Real (some more)

2010-03-26T15:43:00.002-04:00

Read this on my sister's blog.

Apparently there is now a new chemical called Senomyx that mimics the flavor of salt, sugar, or MSG by activating or blocking receptors in the mouth responsible for taste. Companies such as Kraft Foods, Coca-Cola, and Campbell's Soup are working to incorporate this chemical into their products. Their thought is that with this chemical, they can then reduce the salt and sugar amounts in their products by 1/3 to 1/2 while not harming the flavor.

While I understand their reasoning, I still find it a bit unnerving.

Stir Fry

2010-03-26T15:29:00.003-04:00

I needed some bean sprouts for a recipe earlier this week and didn't know what in the world to do with the other 2/3 of a can. Couldn't stand the thought of throwing it out. So I concocted this recipe and the family gave it all a thumbs up!

Stir Fry

Serves: 6

Cook in large skillet:
1/2 lb sausage
Spoon out and set aside in a bowl lined with paper towel.
Saute the following in the sausage grease:
1/4 large onion, chopped
6 mushrooms, sliced
1/4 head cabbage, thinly sliced
seasoning packet from (1) Chicken Ramen Noodles pkg.
pepper to taste
While sauteing veggies, cook in another pot:
Ramen noodles
When veggies are tender crisp, add the cooked sausage, cooked noodles, and bean sprouts. Stir and heat through.

Enjoy!

Free eBook: 40 Healthy Snack Recipes

2010-03-25T16:51:00.001-04:00

Download your copy today.

Homeschooling Opportunity!

2010-03-24T17:43:00.002-04:00

Got any creative little geniuses in your home that absolutely love LEGOs?

Homeschool mommies, you can sign your kid up for the 2010 Lego Smart Creativity Contest! Now through July 2010, LEGO is searching for 10,000 new contestants. A kit will be mailed to your student, free of charge. Let their creativity soar and maybe they just might win!

Official names picked out!!!

2010-03-23T22:26:00.001-04:00

Girl: Francesca Rose (we'll call her Rose)

Boy: Franklin Paul (we'll call him Paul)

:-)

Eating Real

2010-03-22T22:12:00.003-04:00

In our efforts to eat more REAL foods, RD and I are purchasing for each other the KitchenAid ice cream attachment for our birthday presents come June. (Our bdays are only 9 days apart.)

With this baby, you can whip up 2 qt. of ice cream or frozen custard in like 15-20 minutes! (Well, minus prep time.) We're already scouring the internet for yummy recipes. If you have any fool-proof ice cream/frozen custard recipes you'd like to share, we are all ears!

We usually purchase Schwan's ice cream. But after looking at the ingredients list we realized there is a LOT of fake stuff in there!!!

And like I said earlier, we'd rather eat rich and real than to eat the alternative.

Going Organic!

2010-03-22T18:41:00.003-04:00

RD and I placed our first order to B & B Organics last night!!! There's a local co-op starting up and we're joining up! Can't wait for our shipment to come it!!!

More food! :-)

2010-03-21T20:47:00.005-04:00

Sicky-Time Soup
Serves: 10

1 lb. pork sausage

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
Combine the above ingredients. Cook until sausage is no longer pink. Drain grease.
Add the following:
approx. 6-8 cups water
1 carrot sliced
handful: frozen peas and corn
1/4 head shredded cabbage
spices: basil, oregano, rosemary, garlic salt (I just estimated)
salt & pepper to taste
Bring to a boil, then simmer until carrots and cabbage are tender.
Then add:
1-1/2 cups cooked macaroni noodles
Serve!

Mock Pie Filling Dessert
Serves: 6

2 pears (with skin), chopped
2 apples (with skin), chopped
splash of lime juice
2 Tbl. lemon juice
2 Tbl. demerara (or honey)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Would be amazing with mini marshmallows and walnut pieces! Maybe then I could entitle this dish as a Mel-dorf Salad. LOL

Julie & Julia

2010-03-21T14:35:00.004-04:00

Last night, RD and I watched the movie Julie & Julia. It was SO good! If any of you even have the slightest interest in cooking, you'd truly appreciate this movie.

Plot Summary:
Julia Child and Julie Powell - both of whom wrote memoirs - find their lives intertwined. Though separated by time and space, both women are at loose ends... until they discover that with the right combination of passion, fearlessness and butter, anything is possible. Written by Columbia Pictures.

In 1949, Julia Child is in Paris, the wife of a diplomat, wondering how to spend her days. She tries hat making, bridge, and then cooking lessons at Cordon Bleu. There she discovers her passion. In 2002, Julie Powell, about to turn 30 and underemployed with an unpublished novel, decides to cook her way through "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in a year and to blog about it. We go back and forth between these stories of two women learning to cook and finding success. Sympathetic, loving husbands support them both, and friendships, too, add zest.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
It was truly inspiring! I just sat there in awe and wonder as I watched Julia Child (ok, Meryl Streep) walking the market streets of France, daily purchasing fresh meat and produce for her kitchen and culinary treats. How cool would that be?!!!

At the end of the movie, the credits revealed that Julia Child and her husband, Paul, lived to their 90's! Considering the richness of their diet, that seems profound to me. But then it struck me... ALL of the food they ate was homemade. It was pure. It was from scratch. It was whole/fresh foods. That, and they probably didn't overindulge either. Typically, Foodies like them don't gorge themselves on food, but rather take just enough to fully enjoy the flavor of their foods.

RD and I are pretty good about eating whole & fresh. But we like convenience, too. And soda. Ugh. (I admit it!) But it comes with a price.

Watching Julie and Julia inspired both RD and I to eat more real foods. It's far better to eat rich but "real" than to eat the alternative...

Homemade Szechwan Sauce

2010-03-21T14:17:00.004-04:00

Usually, we purchase this brand from the store for our stir-fry's:

But the opened bottle I found in the fridge today smelled funny... and expired in '07!!! Ewwwwww! Needless to say I threw it out.

Found an incredible recipe at AllRecipes.com- it is SO good! Not exactly like Kame's, but pretty close! And not nearly as hot! The kids could actually eat this. They loved it, in fact!

Szechwan Sauce
Serves: 6

8 Tbl water
4 Tbl ketchup
2 Tbl soy sauce (or teriyaki)
4 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp honey
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground ginger
salt to taste
Combine ingredients. Set aside until meat and veggies are prepared. Add to stir fry; stir until thickened. (Would be stellar if left to set in fridge overnight, or at least a couple hours.)

Serve over brown rice. YUM!

Garlic is still awesome!

2010-03-21T06:37:00.003-04:00

Ok, so all this week the kids and I have been battling the sinus/chest cold yuckies. And guess who got it the worst? You betcha... mommy. With EVERY pregnancy, I've had the "luxury" of experiencing a random but harsh head cold. (Why would baby #5 be any different?)

The do's and don'ts of what a pregnant woman is allowed to take medicinally is mind-boggling and seemingly impossible to keep up with. I try to go the natural route. And by far, garlic is still (and probably always will be) my #1 medicine. It is seriously amazing!!! Our entire family uses it whenever illness strikes- and illnesses depart MUCH faster.

Most the time, medicine is designed to alleviate symptoms. Which, believe me, is great! But what we should be striving for is ridding ourselves of what's causing the illness... bacteria and/or viruses. That's where garlic comes in because it is anti-bacterial and anti-viral in it's chemical make-up. Rather than eliminating symptoms, it's eliminating the illness.

Plus, it's 100% all natural and I need not worry about how it's going to affect the baby!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So... how do we use it?

1) For adults:
We take one clove of fresh garlic, press it into a spoon, take it straight up, and down it with a good amount of water. Immediately chasing/swallowing it with water makes it much more palatable and tolerable. (We originally tried just chewing a clove and then swallowing- but it was near impossible to get it down it burned so bad. Take it with water- it's over and done with within seconds!) We do this once in the AM and once in the PM.

2) For kids:
We make little bite size pieces of garlic toast, using fresh pressed garlic. One whole clove is too much. Approximately 1/2 clove (maybe even 1/3) is plenty! Cut off a bite sized piece of bread, butter it, add just a tiny bit of salt, add the garlic and give it to them to eat. As long as we have water readily accessible, they're pretty compliant. Once again, give it to them in once in the AM and once in the PM.

3) Bottoms of feet:
For particularly nasty chest colds, we put garlic oil on our feet before bed (with a pair of socks!).

4) Ear infections:
For a quick how-to on using garlic for ear infections, go here.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We always have a jar of garlic oil in the refrigerator. Whenever we need to use it, we simply spoon out a bit into a bowl (the oil coagulates) and within a minute or two it's melted and ready to use.

We also make sure and have bulbs of garlic readily available as well... which isn't hard, considering I married an Italian! :-)

EASY crockpot lasagna!

2010-03-19T20:15:00.002-04:00

Lasagna is one of my all-time favorite dishes, but I neglect to make it because it seems like SUCH a process! Well, today I just decided to try and crockpot it and see if it worked. We found a keeper recipe! Thought I'd share!!!

Spray the crockpot with Pam first. Then add a bit of water to the bottom. Layer with 2 strips of lasagna noodles (broken to fit).

Here's what's in my red sauce:
1 lb cooked/drained ground beef; 1-1/2 jars of spaghetti sauce; oregano; basil; garlic powder; onion powder; salt & pepper; 2 garlic cloves (sliced); red pepper flakes; cottage cheese. (Sorry- I didn't measure- just kinda estimated.)

Layer it within the crockpot:
noodles-->red sauce-->Mozzerella & Paremesan Cheese

Cook on LOW for approximately 4 hours and VOILA!

Update on Jethro Dole

2010-03-18T08:06:00.003-04:00

I had recently asked for prayer for the Dole family. PLEASE keep praying for this family. On top of Jethro's heart condition, yesterday, they experienced a house fire. Looks as though it is a total loss. Unknown cause. Thankfully, all the other 8 children were with family when it occurred. Here's their story on KXLY.com news.

My heart just grieves over their situation...

Miscellany

2010-03-16T18:21:00.003-04:00

Week 10 workout stats:
Calories Burned: 240.6
Time: 52:12

Week 11 workout stats:
Calories Burned: 331.8
Time: 74:38
Total weigh gain: 30 lbs.

At first, I sort of freaked out about the 30 lbs, but I'm watching what/how much I eat, I'm exercising, and I feel good. I feel strong. So, I'm not going to worry about it. :-p

Here's the latest belly pic: just shy of 35 weeks!

Saw the midwife Monday morning and things are looking great! Still measuring a bit further along than I am, but she said that's probably because the baby's head hasn't dropped into my pelvic bones yet. When that happens, I should measure right on target. So... looks like April 22 is still a GO! SO exciting!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mudballs. Yum.
Very similar to no-bake cookies, but a tad healthier and whole lot faster. The kids gobbled these right up.

Family Trees

2010-03-15T21:43:00.000-04:00

A very interesting and thought-provoking article: Family Trees